Why did the Confederacy face challenges in defeating the North during the Civil War?

The Confederacy faced significant challenges in defeating the North during the Civil War primarily because of a lack of support from foreign nations. Despite hopes for recognition and assistance from countries like Britain and France, the Confederacy could not secure the diplomatic and military backing they sought. This lack of foreign support stemmed from several factors, including the Confederacy's commitment to the institution of slavery, which was increasingly seen as morally untenable in the eyes of European powers. Additionally, the North's industrial strength and the Union's strategic initiatives often made foreign nations hesitant to intervene on behalf of the Confederacy.

Ultimately, the inability to gain foreign allies limited the South's access to resources, necessitating support from outside. This disadvantage compounded their struggles against the more populous and industrially advanced North, which enjoyed superior logistics, transportation networks, and access to supplies, all of which were crucial to sustained military campaigns during the war.